Also in the news release last night, Santorum stressed that he “was the only 2012 presidential contender to travel to Iowa and campaign in opposition to Iowa State Supreme Court Justices who decided to take it upon themselves to redefine marriage.”

RICK PERRY, BARBECUE AND THE HAWKEYES…

Here are the details on state Rep. Jeff Kaufmann’s fourth annual barbecue on Saturday, which will feature Texas Gov. Rick Perry. It starts at 1 p.m. at the Kaufmann family’s century farm 1527 330th St., Wilton.

The presence of a big-screen TV will comfort Iowans who don’t want to miss the Hawkeye game that day. Last year’s featured guest? Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who was just teasing a bid at the time.

(Two GOP contenders to face Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loeback, John Archer from Scott County and Dan Dolan from Muscatine County, will also be there.) This year’s fundraiser costs $25 per person or $50 per family. To RSVP, email Angie at RSVP@campaign-headquarters.com.

Cain’s campaign manager and a number of aides have worked for Americans for Prosperity, or AFP, the advocacy group founded with support from billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, which lobbies for lower taxes and less government regulation and spending.

Cain credits a businessman who served on an AFP advisory board with helping devise his “9-9-9″ plan to rewrite the nation’s tax code.

And (Cain’s) years of speaking at AFP events have given the businessman and radio host a network of loyal grassroots fans.

… AFP tapped Cain as the public face of its “Prosperity Expansion Project” and he traveled the country in 2005 and 2006 speaking to activists…”

IS THE CAKE BAKED?

After a three-day campaign tour, Michele Bachmann will be back in Iowa both Saturday and Sunday (when she will attend a church service), her campaign told the Register this morning.

Bachmann last week in Denison said: “The cake is baked. President Obama will be a one-term president.”

GREAT RISK, GREAT REWARD

The national press is starting to pick up on the possibility of a window in Iowa for Mitt Romney, given that evangelical and social conservatives’ support is so divided. The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza quotes Republican activist Becky Beach of Des Moines repeating what she and other Republicans here have been saying, that Romney “should increase his visits to Iowa and that he will do well here.”